Mitt Romney: Military Cuts May Decimate US Defenses

In the midst of international crises triggered by Russia, China and the Islamic State, the White House and Congress risk "decimation of our defense" – and security – with continued cuts to the nation's military, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney warns.

The 2012 Republican presidential nominee, in an opinion piece for The Washington Post that was posted online Thursday, took especially sharp aim at President Barack Obama's "ludicrous" assertion that "things are much less dangerous now."

"The 'safer world' trial balloon has been punctured by recent events in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Gaza, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria and Iraq. 'Failures of imagination' led to tragedy 13 years ago," Romney writes, quoting a conclusion of the 9/11 Commission Report.

"[T]oday, no imagination is required to picture what would descend on the United States if we let down our guard."

Romney argues that the real reason for proponents' wanting to shrink the military is "to keep up spending here at home."

"Entitlements and programs are putting pressure on the federal budget: We either cut defense, or we cut spending on ourselves. That, or raise our taxes," he writes. "To date, the politicians have predictably voted to slash defense."

Romney made increased military spending a theme in his failed 2012 bid for the White House, faulting both Obama and Republicans in Congress for approving big military slashes.

His opinion piece returns to the theme, challenging "Washington politicians" to "choose whether to succumb to the easy path of continued military hollowing or to honor their constitutional pledge to protect the United States."

"It is said the first rule of wing-walking is to not let go with one hand until the other hand has a firm grip," he writes. "So, too, before we jettison our reliance on U.S. strength, there must be something effective in its place — if such a thing is even possible."

He then bashed budget slashing arguments that appeal to "'common humanity' as the foundation of this new world order," saying the rationale "ignores the reality that humanity is far from common in values and views."

"Humanity may commonly agree that there is evil, but what one people calls evil another calls good," he writes, adding:

"There are those who claim that a multipolar world is preferable to one led by a strong United States. Were these other poles nations such as Australia, Canada, France and Britain, I might concur.

"But with emerging poles being China, Russia and Iran, the world would not see peace; it would see bullying, invasion and regional wars. And ultimately, one would seek to conquer the others, unleashing world war.

"The history of the 20th century teaches that power-hungry tyrants ultimately feast on the appeasers . . . Global peace and stability are very much in our immediate national interest."

In the midst of international crises triggered by Russia, China and the Islamic State, the White House and Congress risk "decimation of our defense" – and security – with continued cuts to the nation's military, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney warns.